Across Canada– Canada’s health coalitions are releasing a joint statement and will host a joint media conference tomorrow on the federal government’s decision to walk away from the table on the Health Accord negotiations and push through bilateral health deals. The health coalitions are deeply concerned about the future of Canada’s universal, single-tier public health care system. The Coalitions warn that the process adopted by the federal government is poor and contravenes Trudeau’s election promise to work with the provinces to forge a new Health Accord. The bilateral deals now being pushed through will lead to cuts in public health care, exacerbate health care inequities across the country, and reduce the authority of the federal government to uphold the Canada Health Act.

WHAT: Canada’s national, provincial and territorial health coalitions are releasing a joint statement and hosting an online media conference on the bilateral health deals being struck across the country.

WHY: Since late December the federal government has abandoned a national health accord negotiation and is now signing bilateral health deals with the provinces and territories. These deals will not fund public health care at the needed level to maintain today’s public health care services. Canada’s Health Coalitions are speaking out and calling for a national Health Accord which ensures everyone can access needed health care services in accordance with the Canada Health Act.

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